Charlie Alverson

Charlie Alverson, age 88, of Madison, formerly of Chester, passed away Saturday, August 21, 2021, at his
home surrounded by his family.
Funeral service will be 11 AM on Thursday, August 26th at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Wentworth
with Rev. Adam Welton officiating. Visitation will be 4-7 PM on Wednesday at Rustand-Weiland Funeral
Chapel with a prayer service at 7 PM. Visitation will continue Thursday one hour prior at the church.
Burial will be in Prospect Cemetery, Chester with military honors provided by the Chester American
Legion. Guestbook is at www.rustandweilandfuneral.com. Charles Vincent Alverson was born November 23, 1932, to Myron & Margaret (Shirk) Alverson at the
Chester Clinic, Chester, SD. Charlie was a lifelong resident of Lake County. He grew up on a farm near
Chester and attended Chester school, graduating in 1951. During school, he participated in sports,
particularly basketball and track. Growing up on the farm, he enjoyed helping with fieldwork and chores
and took time to hunt and fish, which would turn into a lifelong hobby, spending many a cold day ice
fishing until his limit was caught and sharing his catch with his many friends. Charlie continued his love
of sports by coaching his son John’s baseball team and faithfully attending Chester Area sporting events.
On March 19, 1952, he joined the U.S. Navy and served two years on a destroyer in the Korean waters.
He continued his service for another 15 months in Kodiak, Alaska. Charlie was honorably discharged on
March 19, 1956 and returned to Chester to farm.
Charlie married Rosella “Rosie” Schuldt in Chester on August 26th, 1959, at St. John’s Lutheran Church
and started a family, including children Jill, Jimmie, and John.
Charlie was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, holding several church council positions
and delivering service tapes for nine years. He was a member of the Chester American Legion, where he
served as a Post Commander and Chaplin, the Chester Booster Club, and the township board, where he
served for 16 years. He retired from farming at age 58, so he could do some gardening, fishing, watch his
grandkids in sports, and follow the Twins and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams and the Minnesota
Vikings. He and Rosie enjoyed traveling to many states to attend the Tingey Navy reunions.
Watching his son John run the final leg of the state-winning mile relay that clinched the first-ever boy’s
state track title for Chester in 1987 will forever be a great highlight of Charlie’s life. In 2017, the Chester
Area graduating class honored Charlie and Rosie with the “Friends of Education” award.
Charlie is survived by his wife, Rosie; daughter, Jill (Shawn) Martin and son, John (JoAnn) Alverson;
daughter-in-law, Annette Spielmann; seven grandchildren, Kayla (Matt) Tweet, Brett Martin, Ian (Bri)
Alverson, Coty (Shelby) Alverson, Hanna Alverson (and friend Cody), Mackenzie (Michael) Kopren,
Aleesha (Jesse) Kreutzfeldt; eleven great-grandchildren, Avery, Emmet, Berkly, Maverick, Wesley, Grady,
Bodey, Pyper, Tripp, Korbin, and Clay; sister, Sharon (Dan) Siemonsman and sister-in-law, Lois Alverson.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Jimmie and brother, Eugene “Stub” Alverson.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be directed to the Parkinson Association of South Dakota.